Arizona Here We Come...

Over Presidents day weekend we took a road trip down to Arizona to visit my dad's side of the family! We were excited to see Grandma and Grandpa and they were excited to see our kiddos! The last time they saw the boys Easton was Hayleigh's age, and they've never met Hayleigh! It was nice and sunny when we got there Thursday afternoon! The kids spent the first two hours we were there picking fruit off the trees and eating it, and eating pecans off the ground too!

Easton couldn't wait to make some fresh homemade lemonade from the huge lemons off of Papa Tom's and grandma Gayle's tree!

Hayleigh and Taylor wanted to give the juicing a try too!

Dad mixed in some water and sugar and....

Easton LOVED it!

Then it was back outside to soak up some more of that Arizona sun! Papa tom was loving being out there with the kids, peeling fruit and cracking nuts with them!

Then he showed us his horse!

The whole family went to see it!

cute Emery!

Kasey and I with our Prego bellies! She is due two weeks after me!

Shelby and Taylor! Taylor was sad because he only got to spend this one evening with Shelby. She had a girls weekend away with her mom!

Hayleigh giving Brody hugs goodbye!

First thing in the morning the kids were up and ready to swim! Even if it was only in the fifties and low sixties!

jumping for joy into the pool!

Taylor and grandma swimming a lap or two!

time for a quick warm up in the hot tub, which was like a really warm bath tub!

It was Hayleigh's favorite spot.

and then it was back into the big pool for some more fun before we headed up to get ready for the day!

After we were all cleaned up and ready for the day we headed off to the Phoenix Zoo!

The kids were stoked to see a different zoo!

first things first, we had to check our maps and make a plan of attack!

the girls loved the little prairie dogs, they were very active and digging holes all over the place!

Hayleigh being a big hawk

Taylor with one of his favorites the giant condor!

who can pass up a cool tree like this and not climb and play on it?

Kiddos in a cave! Taylor even pet the squirrel that's sitting on top of the cave!

Goofy goats!

Checking out the rhino's with daddy!

Time to Monkey Around!

The girls watching the monkey fun from the bench!

The monkey wanted to pose for pictures too!

my cute family with the baboon!

the silliest monkey of all, we learn from the best!

Taylor couldn't wait to see the Kamodo Dragon! He says he wants one for Christmas... good luck with that one Tay!

Picking noses!

Our zoo gang! We never got a photo before Kasey and Emery left.

Petting Zoo!

brushing the sheep and goats!

Got Milk?

the boys being boys!

Hayleigh taking the tractor for a spin!

Jeff and I with the Orangutan.

Posing in the mermaid shell!

some more monkey business!

"Hayleigh will you rub my feet?"... "Mom do I have to?"

A fun game to play while walking a long way, Red Light... Stop turn around and pose. Green Light... GO!

Look Alike!

Frog Fun

mom and I

Hayleigh wanted to pose with Jared and his twin!

Zebra glasses, work it girl!

a long day at the zoo= one tired girl!

we met up with the rest of the cousins and Uncle Todd for some Red Robin goodness for dinner!

The cute side of the table!

The other cute but not quite as cute side of the table!

after dinner it was back to my grandparents house to visit and play! Taylor loved Emery!

Hayleigh with her purple balloon from Red Robin

Emery took this picture of Tiffy and my dad, she's already starting her talent as a photographer!

Papa Tom loving his Hayleigh girl!

The next day was a little cooler but that didn't stop the kids from wanting to swim first thing in the morning yet again! Hayleigh even sported the goggles for some serious hot tubbing!

The Saturday swimming gang all in the tub!

are we prunes yet?

Hayleigh was watering grandpa's head helping him to grow!

The boys with their Auntie Tiffy!

Noodle telephone!

And THEN... grandpa ordered room service to the pool and got hot chocolate for the gang! The kids thought it was the COOLEST thing ever! swimming and hot chocolate two of their most favorite things together!

I need more!

After the yummy treat grandpa and the boys got back in the big pool for some throwing in the air time!

It was a fun morning at the pool. The kids said they needed to warm a for a minute before heading up to the room to get ready, so they hopped in the hot tub and they made a whirlpool with grandpa! what a great way to start the day!

spending some time at the hotel waiting for everyone to be ready to go!

We grabbed some lunch and headed over to Papa Tom and Grandma Gayle's to spend the rainy afternoon!

The boys didn't let the rain spoil their fun... Golfing in the rain anyone? They said they had fun!

We spent the afternoon playing with some new toys that grandma Garner grabbed for the kids to play with while it was pouring out and they couldn't be outside!

Taylor with his new creatures!

Hayleigh's favorite spot was on the tall chair at Papa Tom's table! She sat here and visited with him forever while they had rootbeer!

Easton's new Lego set!

and what's more fun on a rainy day than doggy piles on Aunt Tiffany?

For dinner we headed over to a steakhouse and a bunch of the family met us over there! including the soaking wet golfers!

After dinner we went across the street to the Bass Pro Shop to walk around a little.

Then we headed over to Dave & Buster's for some arcade fun!

the kids were loving all the great games!

Tiff and Bridget watching Hayleigh girl race a car!

It was fun to play games, and the kids got some fun prizes!

When we got back to the hotel Taylor used his and Hayleigh's flashlights to tell Tiff a special message! He made her stand by the wall and then did this! eye~heart~Tiffy! Such a cute boy!

Sunday was spent at my grandparents house. It was a more sunny day! Papa Tom told Easton to fill a big box with stuff off the trees to take home. Easton was up to the challenge!

and Hayleigh was right by his side!

we all pitched in a little!

filling the box!

We had plenty of fresh citrus to say the least!

Grandpa made Sunday dinner for the whole family. He made a couple of hams, potatoes, corn, baked beans and had rolls and he made his very yummy punch! It was quite the spread and very yummy!

Taylor loving on Emery some more!

Jeff, me, David & Emery, Kellen, Kasey and Bridget all enjoying sitting around and visiting with the fam!

My dad and his brothers! Craig, dad and Todd!

Jared and Uncle Craig tend to wrestle when they are around each other, the boys got in on the action too! They thought uncle Craig was a hoot!

Then it was game time! We played a fun game called reverse charades! It was lots of laughs!

After games we had ice cream sundaes! Yum- Oh!

After ice cream it was time to say goodbye to the family. We had so much fun spending time with them, I'm very grateful that we took the long weekend to go down and visit!

After we left grandma and grandpa's we made a stop by the Mesa Temple to show it to the kids!

I have a picture with my parents here 30 years ago so we recaptured the moment!

then we walked around the visitors center for a little bit!

when we got back to the hotel the kids talked aunt Tiffany and grandpa into one last swim. They knew we were leaving in the morning and had to go one last time!

We decided to come home the long way to show the kids the Hoover Dam, and see the new Dam Bridge!

It was a great trip and we all had a great time!